He began performing with his schoolfriend Art Garfunkel in 1956; together the two came to prominence in the 1960s as Simon & Garfunkel. The duo's blend of folk and rock music in hits like "The Sound of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson", "America", and "The Boxer" served as a soundtrack to the counterculture movement. Their career together peaked with their last album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), at one point the best-selling album of all time. Throughout his subsequent solo career, Simon has continued to explore an eclectic mixture of genres, including gospel, reggae, soul, and more. His celebrated 1970s output—comprising Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975)—kept him in the public spotlight and saw critical and commercial acclaim, spawning the hits "Mother and Child Reunion", "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", and "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover".
Across his life, Simon has intermittently reunited with Garfunkel for several tours, including the famed Concert in Central Park. The widely lauded Graceland (1986) became Simon's biggest album of his career, melding his rock sound with worldbeat flavors; its single "You Can Call Me Al" became one of Simon's top hits. A sequel of sorts, The Rhythm of the Saints (1990), preceded his own successful Concert in the Park, attended by a half-million fans. That decade, Simon focused his energies on a Broadway musical The Capeman (1997), which was poorly received. In the first quarter of the next century, Simon continued to record and tour; his later albums, such as You're the One (2000), So Beautiful or So What (2011), and Stranger to Stranger (2016), have introduced him to new generations. He retired from touring in 2018. His most recent work, Seven Psalms, will see release in May 2023.
Simon is among the most acclaimed musicians and songwriters in popular music, and one of the world's best-selling music artists, both for his solo work and with Garfunkel. He is a two-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and has been the recipient of sixteen Grammy Awards, including three for Album of the Year. Two of his works, Sounds of Silence and Graceland, have seen induction into National Recording Registry for their cultural significance, and in 2007, the Library of Congress crowned him the inaugural winner of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He is a co-founder of the Children's Health Fund, a nonprofit that provides medical care to children.
In an in-depth interview reprinted in American Songwriter, Simon discusses the craft of songwriting with music journalist Tom Moon. In the interview, Simon explains the basic themes in his songwriting: love, family and social commentary (as well as the overarching messages of religion, spirituality and God in his lyrics). Simon explains the process of how he goes about writing songs in the interview: "The music always precedes the words. The words often come from the sound of the music and eventually evolve into coherent thoughts. Or incoherent thoughts. Rhythm plays a crucial part in the lyric-making as well. It's like a puzzle to find the right words to express what the music is saying."
Shy
Paul Simon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
Dum, dum, dum,
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
Dum, mmmm-mmmm,
Shy.
Shy-I'm so shy when I'm with you
Don't know what to say or do
I raise my hopes up to the sky
But when you come walking by
All that I can do is sigh.
Each night I look in my mirror
And practice what I'm going to say to you.
I tell myself, Be confident
But I'm scared to death the minute that I'm with you
Doodly-doo-doo,
I know I love you 'till I die
But no matter how I try
I can't say it 'cause I'm shy
Dum, dum, dum,
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
Dum, dum, dum,
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
Dum, mmmm-mmmm
Shy.
Each night I look in my mirror
And practice what I'm going to say to you
I tell myself, Be confident
But I'm scared to death the minute that I'm with you
Doodly-doo-doo
I know I love you 'till I die
But no matter how I try
I can't say it 'cause I'm shy
Dum, dum, dum,
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
Dum, dum, dum,
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
Dum, mmmm-mmmm,
Shy
In Paul Simon's song "Shy," the singer expresses his shyness and timidity around the person he loves. He admits that he doesn't know what to say or do when he's with them and wishes he weren't so shy. He raises his hopes whenever he sees them, but when they come walking by, all he can do is sigh. He even practices what he's going to say to them in front of the mirror every night, telling himself to be confident, but still feels scared when he's with them. The song is a relatable expression of the nervousness and vulnerability many people feel when they have strong feelings for someone.
The repetition of "dum-dee-dooby-dooby" and "doodly-doo-doo" throughout the song adds to the light, playful tone, but also emphasizes the singer's inability to express his feelings despite his strong love for the other person. The song's melody is simple and upbeat, with a catchy rhythm that accentuates the playful nature of the lyrics.
Overall, "Shy" is a charming and relatable portrayal of the nervousness and anxiety that can come with love and attraction.
Line by Line Meaning
Dum, dum, dum,
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
A rhythmic and repetitive expression of the nervous energy felt in the presence of the person he loves.
Dum, mmmm-mmmm,
Shy.
The frustration of being unable to express oneself due to shyness and the accompanying sense of insecurity.
Shy-I'm so shy when I'm with you
Don't know what to say or do
Gee, I wish I weren't shy.
An expression of one's vulnerability and longing for the person they love, coupled with the frustration of their inability to communicate their feelings effectively.
I raise my hopes up to the sky
But when you come walking by
All that I can do is sigh.
The internal conflict between one's desire to be noticed by the person they love and their feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt that hold them back.
Each night I look in my mirror
And practice what I'm going to say to you.
I tell myself, Be confident
But I'm scared to death the minute that I'm with you
The desperation to find a way to express one's feelings and overcome their shyness, even though they are plagued by self-doubt and anxiety.
Doodly-doo-doo,
I know I love you 'till I die
But no matter how I try
I can't say it 'cause I'm shy
The ultimate realization that one's shyness is holding them back from expressing their true feelings to the person they love, despite their desperation to do so.
Dum, dum, dum,
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
Dum, dum, dum,
Dum-dee-dooby-dooby
Dum, mmmm-mmmm,
Shy.
The repetition of the refrain emphasizes the theme of shyness and the struggle to express one's true emotions despite it.
Writer(s): Jerry Landis
Contributed by Andrew S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.